A commonly-known print system includes a computer that executes various types of application programs, and a printer; and causes the printer to produce a printout of documents and images prepared by the application programs. When replacing the printer of such a print system to another printer, there may arise a case where a difference arises between the printout produced by the printer that is replaced (hereinafter simply called a “pre-replacement printer”) and the printout produced by the printer that is used after the replacement (hereinafter simply called a “post-replacement printer”). In such a case, in order to cause a printout of the post-replacement printer to reproduce a printout analogous to the printout produced by the pre-replacement printer, modifications have been made to specifications or settings of the application programs.
In order to obtain analogous printouts by a plurality of printers, computer programs (e.g., a printer driver or the like) compatible with each of the printers need to be installed in the computer, and the user must change settings such that the printer that the printout is directed to performs printing in accordance with the print command made by the application program. Thus, when using a plurality of printers and changing (switching) the printer that the printout is directed to involves consumption of the user's time and labor.
There may be a case where a data flow employed during printing varies from one application program to another. For example, in some application programs, printing process is performed through a printer driver. However, in other application programs, printing process is performed through a program other than the printer driver. Therefore, when the printer is changed as mentioned above, modifications must be added to the computer in conformity with the data flow of the application program. For example, a printer driver compatible with the post-replacement printer must be newly installed in the computer having installed therein an application program designed to perform the printing process through a printer driver. In the case of a computer having installed therein an application program to perform printing process through a program other than the printer driver, the program compatible with the post-replacement printer must be newly installed in the computer.
When the printer is changed as above, it is desirable that the user or a software maker of the application program is not required to make modifications to the specifications or settings of the application program. Further, it is desirable that modifications need to be made to the computer do not vary with the data flow of the application program that is employed during the printing process.